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CITY OF
CHARLOTTE
>>> The University
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Athletic Facilities
Both individuals and
companies are
attracted to the
thriving Charlotte
region. Booming with
economic and
commercial activity,
Charlotte has all
the advantages of
one of the most
rapidly growing
metropolitan areas
in the nation. Yet
the people are warm
and friendly and
many areas still
retain their
small-town flavor.
Although settled by
the Scotch-Irish in
the 1740s, the
Charlotte area also
felt the strong
influence of German
colonists who came
south about the same
time. In fact, the
city owes its name
to German-born Queen
Charlotte, wife of
England’s King
George III, and the
county to her
birthplace of
Mecklenburg. That’s
also why Charlotte
is known as the
“Queen City”.
Charlotte is the
center of the
nation’s
fifth-largest urban
region. This fact is
startling
considering that
Charlotte, a city
with a population of
527,291 is the
largest city within
the region. As a
result, Charlotte
has emerged as a
financial,
distribution and
transportation
center for the
entire region.
Charlotte serves as
the headquarters for
many major national
and international
companies. During
the past 10 years,
8,393 new firms have
invested more than
$4 billion in new
Charlotte
facilities. Of
companies with
Charlotte
headquarters, 563
have a net worth of
a half million
dollars or more. In
addition, 305 of the
Fortune 500
industrial and
service companies
have facilities
here. In 1970, 60
foreign firms were
represented in
Charlotte. Today,
the total is 380.
But, Charlotte is
first and foremost a
banking city. With
$367 billion in
assets, it is the
second largest
financial center in
the nation, behind
only New York. Two
of the nation’s
largest banks, Bank
of America and
Wachovia, are
headquartered here.
In total, 17 banks
with more than 200
local branches, as
well as a Federal
Reserve Branch, are
located in
Charlotte.
Charlotte is served
by an excellent
state and federal
highway network,
including major
north-south and
east-west interstate
arteries, and a
modern, expanded
international
airport terminal. In
addition, nine major
airlines offer
direct and nonstop
daily flights to
nearly 150 cities.
Each year 10 million
passengers board
planes at Charlotte
Douglass
International
Airport, ranking it
the 17th most active
air transportation
center in the
nation.
Sports are also a
major outlet in the
lives of
Charlotteans. In
addition to the
16-sport program
offered by the
university, the area
plays host to the
NFL’s Carolina
Panthers, triple A
minor league
baseball’s Charlotte
Knights, single A
minor league
baseball’s
Kannapolis
Intimidators, minor
league hockey’s
Charlotte Checkers
and the WNBA’s
Charlotte Sting.
In recent years the
city has also played
host to several
major sporting
events, including
the 1994 NCAA Men’s
Basketball Final
Four, the 1996 NCAA
Women’s Basketball
Final Four, the 1999
and 2000 NCAA
Division I Men’s
Soccer College Cup,
several NCAA
Basketball Regionals
and annual NASCAR
races, including the
Winston, at the
nearby Lowe’s Motor
Speedway.
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